Saturday, August 30, 2014

It’s hard to find a good balancing act between indie, pop, and rock all rolled into something that is not labeled as “emo”. As soon as you throw out the 3 letter word people seem to have a disdain or a passionate love affair with the music. Anie does something that transcends the label and while “Lovekill” is emotional, it’s not “emo” in the negative sense, as it is much stronger and much more powerful than you first realize. From the opening track “Lovekill” to “Fear Losing” you are greeted with an eclectic blend of alternative rock enthusiasm with independent rock fusion that is definitely going to stun you.

Even the harshest critic will find amazing compositions in this EP, and I for one am glad to have discovered this record. I love the transition from track to track, as it’s like a jump through time into different elements. I love the way some songs play with words and others play with sounds and create a lavish layered sound. This is a great recording, and something that should earn Anie incredible publishing authority. I love the mix, and the lyrics as well. Everything comes together to paint an eclectic picture that is going to have you coming back again and again.

Anie’s EP reminds me a bit of the first time I heard The Velvet Teen. I can still see myself in airports waiting for flights at 4 in the morning, trying to get home, listening to the records of the Santa Rosa indie band. It’s with that idea that I can close my eyes and listen to “Lovekill” and think about those times, because it’s that powerful of a recording. It flows through fast, slow, and all sorts of moods that will definitely paint you a picture of a relationship that is alive, well, and not exactly linear.

Check out Anie’s latest release “Lovekill” via bandcamp here, and check out their official website here. If you get a chance to see them, go see them, I for one can’t wait to hear more from them.

Friday, August 29, 2014

There are a lot of country acts that try to put together music and most of it is awful. It’s one of the most oversaturated music genres, but when a star shines, they transcend the label and play music that is highly accessible beyond just the country moniker. That’s exactly what Doug Briney does on this record, which starts off with one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in a while. “Super Country Cowboy” is funny, moving, and full of life. I found myself singing along by the second minute, and I’m not the biggest fan of country. There’s something to this, and I can even see myself doing a little dance to it in the shower, it has that kind of swagger, and yes, I amuse myself with these ideas. Briney’s flow of lyrics is iconic here, and it’s the type of song that is never going to leave your head once you start humming and singing along.

From the opener that just rocks hard, you get 8 more tracks (9 total) of country music and rock and roll gusto. Doug Briney puts together stories and songs that are as iconic as the Man in Black. Going on tangents of religion, love, loss, and fun, it’s an album that everyone will find something to love. It was in the song “I Get To” that life is really appreciated. Listening to the lyrics pulls at your heart, and you can’t help but be humbled by the lyrics. A tear welled up, it’s true, it’s true, the song is just powerful “I Get To” is my favorite of the songs, and you’re going to find it to be spectacular.

Whether you like country from the classic era, new alternative country, or you’re looking for something in between, you’ll find that Doug Briney puts through every style of song on this record and it pulls at the heart. “Super Country Cowboy” is beyond the genre, it’s something that touches the soul and that’s hard to do. I love it. Stand out tracks include the two aforementioned and, “Believe”, “The Money The Gun and The Bible”, “The Choices You Make”, and “I’m UP”, but this has some hits that you’ll come back to time and time again. For country fans this is a no brainer, for others, you’ll find something to love if you give it a chance. I love the lyrics, the story telling and music structure on this strong release from Briney.

My tooth aches, it’s killing me. The only solace I have these days is writing and listening to music. When the transmission of Subterralien’s latest record “Modnar” came on, all bets were off. No more pain in my tooth, and all my synapses were firing as this creative mix of sounds started to permeate through my speakers. People talk about how there’s no “new” or “cool” music coming out, and they obviously aren’t looking. This is by far the most unique and impressive release I’ve heard in a long time.

Subterralien fuses sounds from all over the musical landscape. I’m floored by the release of the incredible production and layered approach here. It’s digital, it’s static, it’s computer sounds, it’s a lot of different pieces all making it to your speaker and it’s creating a noise that is straight out of the 1980s fused computer generation. It’s funny, I always think I’ve figured an artist out, and then they slap me with something new. “Slapstick Maverick” is that “new”, the raw, the artistic, the incredible and it is by far my favorite track on the record. Sampling pop culture, implementing nerd sounds, digital music beats, and so much more, the record takes on a whole new world.

Imagine if your Nintendo system from the 1980s started to go rogue and self-aware, it may produce music like this as it is out of this world inspirational. I don’t know how to classify it really, it’s just awesome! On “Modnar” you get 9 tracks of what very well could be the weirdest thing I’ve heard in a long time. Weird in a good way, and incredible on all levels, mixing beats, music sounds, glitch, psychedelic echoes, and just music. I don’t know what’s going on here, but that’s good, it’s keeping my tooth ache at bay and making my cat Sid sleep. Subterralien wins on this release, all bow down to the incredible talent.

Monday, August 25, 2014

The English duo of Benjó James and Jack Wilson create an appropriately titled song entitled, “Haunted” and it blew me away upon listening. It’s one of the most beautiful and rocking songs I’ve heard in a while. It’s the same kind of power that made me listen to The Jesus and Mary Chain’s debut. It’s an interesting 5 minutes of music that you are going to want to hear again and again.

What makes this track stand out amidst all the music that is proliferating the internet today is the story telling in the lyrics. Looking through the lyrics, you get a taste for the ideas that they are pushing, and the life and times of the duos musical capabilities. It’s a mixture of poetry that you’re going to have a hard time shaking once you realize the power of the lyrics.

From the opening notes to the end of the song, you are going to be enthralled with the track. “Haunted” is one of those songs that just won’t leave you. It’s iconic, it’s dark, it’s alternative, it’s rock, it’s a great song. “Haunted” is off of their forthcoming album “Birthed by Wolves” and it’s one of the best things I’ve heard in a long time.

Check out the song below, and pay attention to these guys that are creating lavish rock music.

When I was learning how to play piano, I thought that one day I could do something as incredible as what Olivier Zberg has created with the release of “Nostalgia”. I wanted to put my ideas into simple song, pieces for piano that could change the way a person felt, or inspire though, tears, or something else. I failed. I don’t know what happened, but I somehow left the music world only to return later on and then give up after my hands couldn’t take it. That frame of reference for me still gets inspiration from music that is stripped down, and showcased with true emotion and simplicity. The piano pieces found on “Nostalgia” are short, inspired, and artistic on levels that you will be absolutely surprised by.It's the kind of record that you are going to want to listen to again and again, or you will miss some of the notes. There's so much here, and yet it's so simple, one man, one piano and creativity waltzing through a lot of connections. It's the simplicity that shines so bright here, and yet it's so complex in the way each piece makes you feel upon listening.

These are short, sweet, and full of ideas that you will absolutely want to listen to over and over again. There’s dancing, there’s sadness, there’s joy, there’s peace. With each element, you get thrown back into a different time, different space. In the scope of the songs you think of movies that had artistic integrity, you think about your first love, your current crush, and stillness amidst life and death. There’s so much encapsulated within the many pieces that are found here.

It all feels like a letter. You open up a letter from a love, or a friend, and you read the stories that brought them to write. A novel well written, all done in the sounds of piano keys being pressed by expert hands. This is a record that has such a beautiful candor to it. It’s befitting of high art, and conceptualized within such inspiration that you’ll have a hard time fitting this into any one genre or box.

“Nostalgia” is the perfect piano record. It’s original, it’s iconic, it gets you to stop moving for a minute and think, reflect, laugh, cry, and meditate. Every track feels warm, interesting, and iconic. You’ll be hard pressed not to like this. I love it. Piano music done right, with a touch of class, It’s grand, listen to it, love it, and recommend it to a friend. This is simply wonderful.

You can listen to the record and purchase it as well through bandcamp here.

Friday, August 22, 2014

The initial mix of “Ever Since” that comes permeating through your speakers is enough to change your life. I immediately stopped what I was doing, and listened closely to the digital mash up that would come through the reverb of the piano and eclectic sound design. The first minute of this track will give you a sense of exploration and then right when you think you’re going to get bored, the beat and frequency changes and you’re presented with something abstract, new, and compelling. The opening track is one of the best representations of digital music I’ve heard in a long time, and Revise starts to chase what very well could be the best mixed media record I’ve heard in a long time.

The ambient music on the record is integral to the sound that Revise creates. I love the pieces, and there are moments when I don’t want to stop the looping, and instead I just want to fly free within the parameters that are set. This happens on several tracks, but it was with “Don’t Look Down” that I just wanted to sit in a hammock with a good book. The mix of vocals from Adaline and the beats and sounds mixed through really are like a work of art. The abstract comes together in an organized chaos that is phenomenal, to say the least.

It’s not just those two tracks that are great, the whole record mixes well, and you will not want to skip tracks. This is not one of those single heavy records where you just pick 1 or 2 out and that’s it. This is a triumph of compilation and flows very well like a stream. I love the mix up, the sounds, the layers, and the digital production elements that are created throughout the recording. Stand out tracks on this record aside from the ones mentioned hard to come by, but if I had to choose, I would go with, “Korean Aura”, “The Past”, “From Russian With Gloves”, “Ever Since”, “Chaos Trusted Is A Dancing Star”, and “We Approach Light”.

Revise unleashes what I feel is the best use of digital components, and layering that I’ve heard on a recording this year. There is some great representations of the abstract world of music found on the tracks, and the mix is solid. The recording is pure, and the ideas that flow through the mind as you listen will garner an incredible thing moving forward. Put this record on and get a paint brush, get a piece of paper and let your mind flow. It’s one of those records that inspires creativity, and you’ll want to have this on repeat, guaranteed.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Marshall Dane comes out swinging with his latest release “One of These Days” and it’s a powerful record from start to finish. The mix of country and rock is definitely felt with the opening track, and definitely catches you off guard. The opening song, “Take You Home to Mama” really is a powerful punch of a song, and it just gets better. It’s a hefty mix here, you get both country and rock themes, with a powerful pop sensibility that you don’t always get when you mix the genres. I haven’t heard a mix this well in a long time, and I’ve heard a lot of attempts recently.

The stand out opening track opens up to more with “Stay Up Late”, “One of These Days”, “Living It up”, “Why Can’t I Leave”, and more. The 12 songs that make up this record really flow well, and while I picked out those tracks in particular to mention, I can truly tell you that this is a record you want to listen through whole. I love the individual tracks, but there’s something absolutely compelling about the story telling found in Dane’s lyrics, mixed with the powerful rock infusion on each track. This is a rocking record, and while it does have firm roots in blues and country, it’s that rock guitar that really gets me every time.

The production values on “One of These Days” is what really stood out for me at first listen. As the record progresses, it becomes a grand record. It is going to be on repeat for a lot of people, myself included. Marshall Dane has a way with words, and the band comes through with pushing a good musical button. It’s a standout country/rock record that is definitely going to propel Dane to all new heights. You’ll want to listen to this one if you like the country, rock fusion. It goes well with a whiskey straight up, and an afternoon off the daily grind.

For more information on Marshall Dane, check out his official website here, follow via Twitter here, and check out facebook here. Oh and don't forget to check out the video below for a taste of the rocking music.

One of the most compelling aspects of music for me is the performance. I tend to review a lot of punk, hardcore, and ska music, but jazz and classical is where I first started to appreciate music. Learning to play chimes, piano, and then bass guitar, I am a fan and a player of the art form. The beautiful music that can be created with classical tuning and instruments are incredible. It’s with that love of music that I can truly say that Nina Kotova’s release of suites for cello by J.S. Bach is incredible.

Nina Kotova is an international sensation, and has been heralded as one of the most iconic soloists in the world. She has appeared with some of the biggest names in symphony music, and performs with a certain essence that will completely change the way you hear music. There’s something profound about her work, and with this release she does something that others have tried, but haven’t really done with such precision.

On this release, you will get full suites for Cello by J. S. Bach, recorded with an incredible beauty and soul. The notes jump out at you and when you start to listen through the tracks, you will be amazed at the performance, recording, and example of iconic music. Bach’s work doesn’t need introduction, and if you’re a fan, you already know his work. However, the way Nina Kotova plays the pieces is just perfect.

While I’ve heard Yo-Yo Ma’s recording, they pale in comparison to this one. Nina Kotova has a way of playing that grabs your heart strings. It pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. I’ve heard a lot of classical music recordings, but this is played with a strength that is beyond anything I’ve heard. I’m at a loss for words. If you give this recording a chance, you will be floating, as the pieces are just compelling, integral to music as a whole and a testament to the talent and profound skill that Nina Kotova has. It’s with that in mind that I give this my highest recommendation, as there is no way to emulate this type of work.

You can get this record via amazon.com here, and learn more about the artist on the official website here. You won’t find another classical album that has such compelling compositions.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

I never know what to expect from independent artists, as I’ve heard a lot of bad in my day. Charlie Leavy is one of those stand outs, that you aren’t sure about until you actually listen. It was with the release of “The Best Damn Ride” EP that I was floored by the talented artist. With the first track of “The Way Life Is”, you get completely thrown into a world that is a mirror of life. The lyrics are of wisdom and honor, a reflection of society, the same kind of candor that you would expect from a veteran soul artist. It’s sung and played with precision and it creates a nice spectrum to give you an idea of what the artist is all about. It’s with that opener that Charlie Leavy won me, it’s a strong opener.

The rest of the EP is solid, with “Tongue Tied”, “Summers Day Runaway”, “Falter baby” and “Running My Mouth”. It’s this type of music that bridges gaps between genres, and while it is firmly rooted in acoustics, it still has a raw, rock energy that is definitely worth noting. I liked the transitional elements, the bridges, and the guitar sounds that mixed well with Charlie’s incredible voice. It’s got character, and the lyrics only build the song structure even more, which is hard to come by with a lot of independent artists today.

As you listen to the EP, you will definitely find this to be a good overall release. There is enough to give you a taste, and that’s what the goal of an EP is, just a taste of what’s to come. You’ll find that this is a solid outing that will definitely find home with pop, indie, and rock fans alike. It is a bit softer than most of the stuff that has been coming through my speakers recently, but that’s not bad, I appreciate the diversity. I can’t listen to hardcore and metal 24 hours a day, and it’s artists like Charlie Leavy and the release of “The Best Damn Ride” that gives me reason to continue to listen for up and coming artists, regardless of genre. You’ll find that this is one good record, especially if you like independent music, pop, acoustic and alternative records. The lyrics alone make this one worthwhile, as they made me think.

You can check out the EP via bandcamp.com, purchase via itunes here, and check out the official Charlie Leavy website here. Keep tabs on this artist, you’ll be glad you did.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this free album from M00kie-M00K M00-You. I knew it was hip hop, but you never know with independent releases. After getting an intro from none other than Peter Griffin, what is left is awesome. M00kie-M00K M00-You unleashes a serious flow over beats that you’re going to find to be downright reverent. “Getting to know M00-Y0U” is a solid release full of rhyme schemes and raw beats that will definitely find a home with any hip hop head out there.

You get a full sense for the artist on “Awready Know” a 3 minute banger that features a full scale of ideas going through the mind and rap lyrics of this interesting artist. From there, things keep getting better with standout tracks like “Let It Go”, “Down I-45”, “Opinion”, and more. M00kie-M00K M00-You definitely works like an artist. The lyrics combined over some very interesting beats makes this release vital, and creates a lavish overall reality laced hip hop rhyme scheme that you will definitely appreciate.

Topics include life, dreams, and much more. The flow is laid back, unique, and definitely stands out. When Peter Griffin interjects, you start to chuckle a bit since it’s a good marketing hook to throw into the mix of songs on this release. You’re going to definitely find that aspect to be a good selling point on this free release, and it’s going to get you to laugh a bit for sure.

At the end of the day, M00kie-M00K M00-You’s release of “Getting to know M00-Y0U” is a good release, and for free, you can’t really deny that it’s worth your time. I found it to have some good tracks, interesting rhymes, and good use of beats and of course, Peter Griffin’s seal of approval too.

Check out “Getting to know M00-Y0U” via Bandcamp.com Here, and see what’s coming out of Texas’s hip hop scene.

Friday, August 15, 2014

I’m always interested in hearing up and coming hip hop, and when I got a chance to sit down and listen to the latest from Heist International, I was floored. The latest release of “36” The Mix Tape is an incredible accomplishment. It’s 18 total tracks, nearly an hour of music, and it brings you through all sorts of moods, ideas, with an assault on the senses that will have you repeating the songs over and over again.

Often times hip hop mixtapes aren’t that well produced, but that’s not the case here. Heist International brings a well crafted, well recorded, and highly poignant release that features the best beats, a great slew of talented elements, and something that just makes you stop what you’re doing. You can’t really appreciate this while doing anything else, although, you could try. I had to stop and just listen several times while crafting this review, because the quality on the tracks brings a good and eclectic vibe to hip hop.

From the initial set up of “36 Meaning” to “Devil’s Daughter”, to “Juice” and much more, you get hit with a lot of intense points. You’ll definitely be repeating these tracks time and time again, especially when you hear some of the more intricate layers that are found here. There are moments where you can’t help but take a moment and pay attention to the rhymes.

I’m impressed with the recording style, the layered beats, the critical songs that don’t really pull punches, and the fact that this is nearly an hour of music and it all makes sense. There’s nothing here that doesn’t work, and that’s hard to do on a mixtape, at least recent ones that I’ve heard. You’ll find further stand out tracks include, “Understanding”, “Talk About Nothing”, “Elevators”, “Way Too Real” and more.

Overall, this is a solid release of hip hop, and it’s intricate throughout the tracks, and nearly an hour of music. It’ll be interesting to see how far Heist International goes, because as far as I’m concerned, they’re making good moves releasing high quality music like this.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

From the moment you first hear the sound that comes through on this hip hop mix, you will be floored. There’s an organic element to this that is just exciting to hear. Once you turn it up, you will be floored by the execution and production values that are layered throughout this release. The cuts and pieces are sewn together in a very interesting manner, leaving nothing to the imagination. It’s the kind of mix that you would expect to hear on the radio, if they still played good music.

From the moment you first turn on “Street Weight”, you get a feeling for an iconic, and impressive unifying hip hop mix. But it isn’t until you get to “Hey, Don’t Miss Out!” that you pick up on something that makes this classic. It’s a classic mix, and around the 1:00 minute mark you start to bounce a bit. I can already see myself using these tracks to skateboard through my streets with as they have a good mix to them and lays out emotional connections through the bass, keys, and organic material that you will be impressed with. Right when you think you got this one figured out, something new comes at you and you’re once again left with your jaw on the floor.

A close friend of mine makes beats, and another friend of mine owns a digital media record label, and their work doesn’t come close to this level of expertise. There’s something special here. I’m not sure what it is, but the way this flows just feels so much better than a lot of the hip hop tracks I’ve been forwarded lately. Within 4 tracks you will swear that you can hear your favorite rapper on blazing on the beats. “Champion Theme” for me would work great with MURS, but that’s just my opinion.

As far as instrumental albums are concerned, this is a gem for hip hop heads. 4 tracks of solid hip hop blending, and a solid sound that mixes the best parts of instrumentation, repetition, and creativity into one solid album. Pick up this record from 9Yards and you will be putting it on repeat as you flow through your creative phases. I for one am locking it down as one of the albums to listen to while I’m skateboarding.

You can pick up “Way Less Effort” and listen to the instrumentals via Bandcamp here. You have to listen to this, it’s solid hip hop instrumentation.

Gas Station Disco takes the rock genre and makes it far more accessible than you may think. While modern rock may be playing boring music, the Pottsville, Pa band creates a layered rock sound that is not only urgent, it’s going to find a home with fans of pure rock music. With the release of “Port and Starboard” you get a sense for their sound and it’s going to shock you. It’s well polished, it’s poppy, but it has a rock edge that is definitely in line with some of the bigger bands in rock music right now. Name one of the big bands that are playing stadiums, and you’ll find that these guys are on the right track with their music. It’s solid, it’s beefy, it’s got a pop sensibility but don’t let that fool you, it’s rocking and it’s heavy at times.

You get hit with their signature sound on the first track which is the title track, “Port and Starboard”. From there the stand out tracks continue to hit you hard, and flow through a complete balance of rock tracks. “All I See”, “Broken”, and “All I Am” flow very well before you hit one of the most radio friendly, accessible, and powerful tracks with “Window”. If I were an executive in the music industry, I’d sign them based on that track. It hits hard, it mixes instruments, and lyrically charges on in exactly the same way that many other bands have done, but what makes Gas Station Disco different is that they add their own flavor to the distortion, and keyboard mix before hitting the hard rock sound through the latter half of the song. It’s that mid-point that makes this album so great.

For hard rock fans this is a working class rock and roll band, for pop fans, this is a radio friendly album, and for those that love all musical genres, get ready to explore some incredible moments. The album flows through every emotion, every hard rock sound, and heavy bass, heavy distortion on guitars, and lyrical balance that is definitely going to impress even the hardest of skeptics.

I was impressed with how balanced the whole record is. It’s not a droning album, it hits on all cylinders, and gives you an incredible array of options to listen to. I think it’s a record that you will want to listen to whole. There’s no one track that is going to win the best here, they are all unique, good, and rocking in their own right. You have to listen to this record, you just have to. It will definitely become another one of the albums from this year that will get heavy rotation on your playlist.

Learn more about Gas Station Disco via their official website here, and get their record sooner than later.

As a music fan, I’ve heard a lot of guitar players in my day. I’ve seen a lot too, and every time I hear about another guitar player and their release, I roll my eyes. That wasn’t the case when I first heard about Xander Demos. I was completely blown away with the progressive sound and style of the guitar work and overall attention to the most finite of details on the latest release “Guitarcadia”. This is a heavy metal shredders dream, and it flies in the face of most guitar players today, as this is the type of stuff that should be played on rock radio. No offense to the reggae fans (which I am a fan of), but there’s no reason rock radio should be playing 3 or 4 reggae songs an hour when this is getting ignored.

Xander Demos charges through every kind of guitar sound from melodic to extreme picking to just insane pieces of metal glory on “Guitarcadia” and it’s a blueprint for what you can do on electric guitar. Lead, rhythm, and other is all represented in some heavy shredding and melodic composition on the recording. “Right Angles” and “Nothing Major” smash open the speaker you have and grabs your ears to turn up the songs. You will not find another melodic, guitar driven record that matches up to the talent that you hear when you turn up this release.

At times it sounds like the classic metal riffing from the 1980s, but you hear parts from the 1970s, and even a little 60s electric guitar action in this mix of 10 tracks that will not leave you hanging. Just because I call out those years, doesn’t mean that Xander Demos doesn’t go through the new era of metal as you will hear on “Under A Darkened Sky”, which very well could be a song from Dragonforce, and would fit in well with a lot of the current acts, and you will be completely floored when the vocals come in on that track, giving this more than just a simple instrumental recording.

Xander Demos band or XDB have brought their prowess to the masses sharing the stage with, Neil Zaza, UFO, The Dio Deciples, Uli Jon Roth, Buckethead, Lizzy Borden, Adrenaline Mob, Symphony X, Helstar and Kip Winger. With such credentials, you’ll absolutely want to pay close attention to what is next, and pick up this record immediately. 10 tracks, 55 minutes of music, and like I said, a guitar player’s dream. It’s an iconic record with so much to offer from guitar, bass, keyboards, and more. I’m impressed, you’ll be impressed, and you’ll be tempted to go and pick up a guitar. If my wrists weren’t bad from my mediocre run as a bass player, I’d be tempted to pick up a guitar. What you hear on “Guitarcadia” is a masterwork from a genius of guitar progression and you’ll agree once you listen. Get this record.

Pick up this record via Big Cartel HERE, and learn more about Xander Demos and more by going to the official website here.

For those that don’t follow my site, or last.fm account, I’ll let you know that I spend 12 – 20 hours of music daily. Last weekend, I pulled a 36 hour straight run of writing, and my only entertainment was a long playlist of music that spans every genre. Lately, the punk rock tunes that have been pushing forward are a bit too polished, kind of derivative and tired. I wanted to love some of the new stuff coming through, but it’s just not that grand. After another boredom movement, I tuned into the latest release from Figures of Light, and faith was restored in punk rock roots. Figures of Light’s release of “The Nebraska Sessions” plays heavy on that hard rock sound that the early pioneers of punk rock pushed out when they first came out on the scene.

The dynamic here is not what you’re going to hear on the radio, it’s a type of punk that made The Damned, Buzzcocks, and even PIL work back in the 1970s and 1980s. If you can imagine that type of raucous music, then you can kind of understand where “The Nebraska Sessions” fit. Sure, it’s a modern release compared to the other bands, but this is in the same punk rock spirit, not confined to one box. Perhaps the best example here is “I’m So Sick of Everything”, which rings true lyrically as much as it does with the speedy guitar tone.

Some music fans may note that the garage punk sound is strong on this record, especially with the tune “Black Cadillac” which brings about a bit of that garage noise, mixed with the surf sound that made some early Southern California punk songs famous. With each track, you get a different sound from Figures of Light, and they sure know how to press on the rock button without hitting cliché overtones. It’s easy to just step on a guitar distortion pedal and play as fast as you can without any attention to what made the punk pioneers so incredible. It’s within the scope of “The Nebraska Sessions” that you get that raw connection, the music that sticks with you and reminds you to take a break from the hyper polish musical sounds of the radio, and get back to your roots.

This is a solid release, with some good tracks, and solid punk rock ethos at the helm of what very well could be the best break from the same old top 40 rock tunes replayed on KROQ (my local radio station). If you’re not a fan of early era punk, alternative, shoe gaze, two tone, or garage punk, you may find yourself scratching your head, but listen to this anyways, you may like it and it will give you something new to blast through your headphones.

Wheeler Dixon, Michael Downey, and Heath Cole lay down some good tracks with that proto punk, garage punk flair that the band is known for. Check out the cut Black Cadillac (Demo Version) to get a taste of the record, to get a taste of the record, and pick up the album via Itunes here. It's available now! So Go pick it up and support independent music!

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Sell Out Records is a review blog about music. I listen to music, write reviews, and show you where you can pick them up, listen to them, and the likes. I am just a guy that loves music above a lot of things.